System and method for biometrically-initiated refund transactions

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a system and method of conducting refund transactions via electronic transaction records. System user transaction information entered into the system is stored in association with user biometric information. Transaction information is retrieved via user biometric recognition/verification for conducting refund transactions.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/829,448,filed Apr. 22, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,082,415, which is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/251,305, filed Sep. 20,2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,269,737, which claims priority fromprovisional application No. 60/324,229, filed Sep. 21, 2001. Eachabove-identified application is incorporated by reference herein, in itsentirety, for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates generally to a system and method of conductingbiometrically-initiated refund transactions. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a system and method for allowingindividuals to store and retrieve transaction information by means ofbiometric association.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, an individual conducting a purchase transaction receives apaper record that displays information about the transaction, such asthe date of the transaction, the location of the transaction,items/services purchased in the transaction, and how the individual paidfor the purchase. Should the individual wish to return a purchaseditem/service from that transaction for money, the individual musttypically present the paper record they received of the transaction forthe purposes of providing proof of the transaction, and/or necessaryreturn details of the transaction. Requiring a customer to keep track ofthese paper records and present them in a refund transaction poses anuisance to the customer that might discourage the customer from seekinga refund if they cannot find the proper paperwork.

Since retail stores are not required by law to provide customers withrefund services, they may set their own refund policies. Becausefraudulent refund transactions can pose a large area of risk, merchantstypically enforce refund policies that help minimize these loss risksbut still enable customers to return unwanted and/or defectivemerchandise. For example, such policies typically include requiringcustomers to present physical receipts for full refunds and to returnpurchased items within a set timeframe. Additionally, merchants oftenrequire customers conducting refund transactions to provide personalinformation, such as their home address, telephone number, and emailaddress. Although paper receipts provide customers the benefit ofallowing them to conduct full refunds, keeping track of these receiptsis cumbersome for customers, forcing them to keep a backlog of paperworkon their purchases and then forcing them to find a receipt in thatbacklog every time they want to return an item/service. In addition,requiring customers to provide personal information is not only aninconvenience to customers but also an invasion of privacy. What isneeded are better systems and methods for providing customers andmerchants with records of purchase transactions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the aforementioned needs by providingcustomers and merchants with a more accessible system and lesscumbersome method of recording and accessing transaction information,wherein transaction information is stored in electronic transactionrecords that are accessed and updated via biometric recognition and/orverification. A process by which customer biometric information isassociated with electronically captured transaction information allowscustomers and merchants to perform more secure, convenient, andefficient refund transactions. Additionally, a process by whichcustomers verify their identity as purchaser or their affiliation withthe purchaser of a refund transaction, offers merchants a more securemethod of conducting refund transactions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an overview of the general architecture of a systemfor biometric authorization for refund transactions according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a process for creating a biometricallyassociated, electronic transaction record.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a process for conducting a refundtransaction with a biometrically associated, electronic transactionrecord.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent in the following detailed description read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing figures.

As previously noted, the present invention encompasses a system andmethod for conducting refund transactions via biometrically-initiatedaccess of electronic transaction records.

User transaction information is stored as one or more electronic recordsthat are associated with a user's biometric sample. Transactioninformation may be stored as an electronic record during or after atransaction takes place. Additionally, transaction information may beconverted from physical form, e.g. a paper receipt, to electronic format a system device, or may be pulled from one or more storage locationsto a system database. Regardless of how transaction information isentered into the system, it is stored in electronic form and inassociation with a user biometric sample. Depending on the embodiment ofthe system, stored transaction information may be organized according tovarying forms. By way of illustration but without limitation,transaction information may be grouped by transaction, by anitem/service identification code, by an item/service related department,by price, by merchant, by merchant location, and/or by item/servicedescription.

Storing transaction information in electronic form and in associationwith a user biometric sample allows a user to conduct refundtransactions based upon the stored transaction information simply bypresenting a biometric. Because most merchants currently requireindividuals to present a physical transaction receipt in a cash-backrefund transaction, the present invention will provide users with a moreconvenient method of presenting those transaction records, by presentingtheir electronic transaction records in lieu of traditional physicalreceipts. The current invention also provides customers with greaterprivacy, allowing them to conduct return transactions withoutnecessarily having to share their personal information with merchantswith which they conduct return transactions. Additionally, the inventionwill provide merchants with a more secure form of conducting refundtransactions by associating customer biometric information with atransaction. Allowing users to present electronic transaction records ina refund transaction eliminates the need for users to keep track of andpresent traditional physical transaction records, such as paperreceipts, at the time of a refund transaction.

A user conducts transactions in the system by presenting a biometricsample that is compared to one or more registered biometric samplesstored at the system database. Matching a user biometric sample to aregistered biometric sample enables a user to retrieve informationstored in association with the registered biometric and/or approval of atransaction request depending on the action the user requests in thesystem. There are two main types of biometric comparison systems:biometric verification systems, wherein the system performs a“one-to-one” comparison of an individual's biometric to a record of hisbiometric, and biometric recognition systems, wherein the systemperforms a “one-to-more than one” biometric comparison of anindividual's biometric to his biometric record and at least one otherbiometric record. A “one-to-one” biometric comparison verifies theindividual presenting the biometric is who he says he is, and a“one-to-more than one” biometric comparison recognizes an individual'sbiometric from a group of two or more biometrics. For the purposes ofthis application, “biometric system” is intended to refer to bothverification and recognition biometric systems. As would be appreciated,the invention methods and their related methods of biometric comparisondisclosed herein should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.The scope of the invention should allow for varying combinations ofmethods and their related methods of biometric comparison.

Additionally, this invention is not limited to using one form ofbiometric. For example, the biometric samples referred to throughoutthis description might refer to an image of a biometric and/or amathematical representation of the biometric sample, often referred toas a “template” in terms of biometric applications.

FIG. 1 illustrates a general architecture overview of abiometrically-initiated refund system 100 that is based on biometricrecognition and/or verification. As will be described in greater detailbelow, refund system 100 enables a receiptless refund transaction bywhich users are encouraged to associate their biometric information withtheir purchase transaction information. Transaction information isstored in at least one system database 112, 114 where system userrecords are stored. In one embodiment, the system database is a centraldatabase to which all system user records are stored and from whichinformational system user records are accessed for identityverification/recognition. In another embodiment, the system database isone or more operator databases 114 to which a select set of user recordsare stored and from which a select set of user records are accessed foridentity verification/recognition. In an additional embodiment, refundsystem 100 may also utilize a combination of central databases 112 andone or more operator databases 114. In general, embodiments utilizing acombination of system databases 112, 114 enable increased control ofinformation flow throughout the refund system 100. As described ingreater detail below, various examples of information flowconfigurations within the system can include “open,” “closed,” and“selectively shared” system models. In still further embodiments, systemdatabase 112, 114 can further comprise one or more sub databases thatare contained within a particular system database 112, 114. In suchembodiments, system user data, system operator data, and other systemdata may be distributed across multiple databases within the systemdatabase.

A system user record holds system user biometric information and otheridentity verifying information related to an individual seekingbiometric recognition/verification so that the system user may identifyhimself and associate his transaction information with his systemrecord. The information held in such a record may include, by way ofillustration and without limitation, a system user's governmentidentification number(s) and corresponding state(s) of issue, homeaddress, a telephone number, and at least one biometric record. A systemuser may present any number of identity verifying documents ortestaments to his identity depending on the embodiment of the biometricsystem. By way of illustration and not of limitation, examples of suchdocuments or testaments include a financial token, a digital image, avideo clip, family information, or a DNA sample. Depending on theparticular implementation, a system user record can also hold financialaccount information and/or a system identification number (SID). A SIDis a code used in conjunction with a system user biometric sample forbiometric recognition/verification.

The system also comprises system operator records which hold informationuseful for authenticating an operator, such as a name or ID number,device ID numbers associated with the operator, an address, and a phonenumber. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, theoperator records also hold employer information if the operator is anemployee of an employer who is also an operator. In another embodimentof the present invention, operator records hold an operator SID and/oran operator biometric sample.

The system may be configured so that at least one system database 112,114 is connected to at least one network 102, such as but not limitedto, the Internet. This network comprises connections to at least onedevice where transaction information is entered. These devices includebut are not limited to a vending machine 152, a kiosk 156, a personalcomputer 132, a user service desk 160, a point of sale (POS) terminal164, or a wireless device 144, 140, and 136, connected via wirelessnetwork 104, with respective biometric input devices (BIDs) 130, 134,138, 142, 146, 154, 158, 162 and 166. BID devices are illustrated inFIG. 1 as peripheral devices for purposes of emphasis only. The systemshould not be so limited and may certainly incorporate devices withbuilt-in BIDs.

Networks used in additional embodiments include LANs (local areanetworks), WANs (wide area networks), and telephone networks. In suchembodiments, system users communicate with at least one system database112, 114 via telephone 128, with connected BID device 130.

Additional embodiments of the system also comprise connections to one ormore third party sources, such as a third party database 106 and/or oneor more financial institutions 108, in which system user-presentedinformation is verified and/or from which system user information ispulled. Financial institution 108 may also allow users to conductbiometrically authorized financial transactions with the system shouldthe system be so configured. For ease of integration of such methods,the method of conducting biometrically authorized financial transactionsmight be adapted so that it may be conducted concurrently with themethod for biometrically initiated refund transactions and vice versa.

In one embodiment, the system is configured as an “open” system, meaningall information entered into the system is transmitted to and stored ina central system database 106. An open system allows system usertransaction information to be stored and/or accessed via any device inthe system because an open system shares system user information storedin the centralized system database 112 with all system devices. Systemuser records in an open system may additionally be sub partitioned bysystem operator with which the user conducts transactions. This systemembodiment allows user identity information to be shared across systemoperators freely but restricts access to operator-specific subpartitions within the user's record to the specific system operator andhis associated system operators.

In an alternate embodiment, the system is configured as a “closed”system, meaning information entered into the system via a specificoperator device is transmitted to and stored in a system databasespecific to that operator 114, and this information is not shared withdevices other than those specific to the operator database 114 or otheroperator-specific databases. This is referred to as a “closed” systembecause system user information stored in one system operator's database114 is unique to that user's interaction with that specific systemoperator and/or specific system operator device(s). System users mustregister their identifying information in the database of eachadditional system operator system wherein they would like to storeelectronic transaction information. Operator system databases 114 inclosed systems may query other databases, such as a third partyinformation database 106, for system user information verifications.However, all system user information that is enrolled into a particularoperator system database 114 is stored in that database. In an alternateembodiment of the closed system, information pertaining to specificsystem operators is stored in a partitioned, central system database112. System operator related information is stored in system,operator-specific partitions and is closed to all other systemoperators. Only the system operator and system operator employees mayaccess that partition of the central system database 112. In yet anadditional embodiment, system operator related information stored in anoperator system database is additionally stored on the central systemdatabase 112 where their system users' records are stored. Such anembodiment is useful for information protection in the event databaseinformation is lost.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, system userinformation is “selectively shared” and stored in select systemmultiple-operator databases or select, system multiple-operatorpartitions within the central system database 112. In this embodiment, agroup of system operators share data with each other and they choosewhether or not to share system information with other system operatorswithin the system. Such a system is referred to as a “selectivelyshared” system. This system allows a chain of system operators owned bythe same entity or linked in some other manner to share system userinformation amongst them without sharing that information with all othernon-designated system operators registered in the system. Information insuch a system may be shared between one or more operator systemdatabases 114 and the central system database 112 freely or sharing maybe monitored by rules set in the operator system databases 114, thecentral system database 112, or both. By way of illustration and not asa limitation, one system operator might only want to share system usertransaction information with one of five system operators in amulti-verifier system or all system operators might not want to send orstore system user transaction information to the central system database112. Such a system allows system operators greater control overinformation flow while still allowing various user conveniences, such asbeing able to return a product to any store in a selectively sharedchain.

The configuration of the system as an “open” system, “closed” system, or“selectively shared” system illustrates various ways of implementing theprinciples of the present invention. System configuration might bedetermined by the system in which the electronic transaction informationis used. For example, if the refund system is combined with abiometrically-authorized financial transaction system, a merchant who isan operator in the system and who allows customers to conductbiometrically-authorized financial transactions might have a systemconfigured with his own operator system database 114 and one or twobiometric authorization terminals, for example 164 and 160, connected tothat database. In this system configuration, the merchant's databasefiles only exist on his database 114 and are retrieved or accessed forbiometric matching only by the one or two pre-determined stations 164and 160 connected to the database 114; therefore, the system would be a“closed” system.

System users register for a biometrically-initiated refund transactionsystem by creating a user record with a system database. As would beappreciated, determining the data required to enable usage of the systemwould depend on the embodiment of the system. However, in a standardenrollment, a user presents at least one biometric sample. A user mayadditionally present other identity verifying information, such as hisname, mailing address, phone number, driver's license number, and e-mailaddress. Depending on the system embodiment, the system may additionallyrequire a user to register a system identification number (SID). In suchan embodiment, a SID typically serves as a pointer that can be used withor without a user biometric sample to aid the system in locating thestorage location of a user record. Depending on the embodiment of thesystem, a SID may also serve as a user group identifier that identifiesa user as an affiliate of a specified group of users. In an additionalembodiment, the system may perform a re-registration check on a user'sinformation to ensure that the user is not already registered in thesystem.

Regardless of the information required for enrollment, users may enrollin the system in an enrollment transaction or may enroll in the systemduring another system transaction. For example, a user who wishes toenroll in the system presents his biometric information and any otherrequested identity information. That user's information is stored in adatabase, and the user is enrolled. The user may, alternatively, wish toenroll in the system during a purchase transaction. For example, a userpurchasing a few items at an electronics store might decide that shewould like to enroll in the system. If she chooses to enroll, she wouldthen enter a biometric sample. She would additionally enter any otherenrollment information that the system requests. The method of enteringsuch information would be implementation dependent. For example,information could be hand-keyed, pulled from an electronic read of atoken, and/or pulled from another information database, which may or maynot be designated by the user. The current transaction information isthen associated with the user biometric sample, both of which are storedin a system database as a user record. Thereafter, the user simplyprovides her biometric sample during a transaction and the transactioninformation is stored with the user's system record.

In an additional embodiment, the present invention is combined with abiometrically-authorized transaction system that requires a user topresent his biometric during a transaction for identity verification,such as a biometrically-authorized financial transaction system, anage-restricted transaction system, or a rewards transaction system. Thepresent invention used in combination with such a system would enablethe transaction information to be stored in association with a useridentity-verification record previously created for enrollment into theadditional biometric system.

In yet another embodiment, a user wishing to convert pre-existingphysical and/or electronic records of transaction information into thesystem may present these records at a system device. The system devicewould scan and/or read the records, retrieving them from transactioninformation to be stored in association with the user's system record.If a user is not enrolled in the system, he may still convert apre-existing record of a transaction into the system in the process. Hesimply presents his biometric, the transaction information, and anyother necessary enrollment information, and this information is sent toa system database for storage as a new user record.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method by which transaction information is enteredinto and stored in a system for creating electronic transaction records.

At step 202, information related to a transaction is entered into atransaction station. Transaction information may include but is notlimited to, the date of a transaction, the time of a transaction, thelocation of a transaction, one or more items/services exchanged in atransaction, the quantity of one or more items/services exchanged in atransaction, the price of one or more items/services exchanged in atransaction, the method of payment in a transaction, and one or moresystem operator associated with a transaction. In an additionalembodiment, the method of creating an electronic transaction record isappended to a method for biometrically authorizing a transaction. Insystems wherein such methods are combined, transaction information mayadditionally include a transaction approval request that is evaluatedand approved or denied concurrently with the method of storing theelectronic transaction record.

At step 204, the transaction information and a user biometric sample issent to a system database. The user biometric sample may be scanned intothe transaction station at any time during the transaction.Additionally, if the current invention is appended to a biometricallyauthorized system and method, the biometric sample captured for use inauthenticating the user to that authorization system may be also used inthe method of the current invention. In an additional embodiment, thesystem is configured for biometric verification and might request a useradditionally enter a system identification code (SID) that is also sentto the database. In a biometric verification embodiment, a SID may servevarious purposes. For example, it can be used as added insurance thatthe user is properly identified within the system database, or it canserve as an affiliation code by which a group of users affiliate theirelectronic transaction records with each other in an effort to create achain of possible users authorized to conduct refund transactions fortheir purchase transactions. Regardless of the purpose of the SID, suchan embodiment of the system would help simplify and increase reliabilityof the system by increasing the probability that the user's electronictransaction record is stored in the proper user record. It is alsopossible at this point that the user enters a transaction code thatindicates user-defined categories of transactions. For example, if theuser is making a business purchase, he enters a code that indicates thatthe transaction is business related, or if the user is making a leisurepurchase, he enters a code that indicates that the transaction isleisure related. Such codes might enable users to better organize theirtransaction records.

At step 206, the user record is located by matching the biometric sampleto a biometric sample stored at the database. If the user entered a SID,a user record might first be located by the SID and the biometric sampleverified with a registered biometric sample associated with the SID. Atstep 208, if the user record is located, the transaction information isstored in association with the system record. Alternatively, if no userrecord is found in the system one is created and the transactioninformation is stored in association with the newly formed record.Additionally, users who wish to receive a paper record of thetransaction might select to receive one.

Depending on the embodiment of the invention, electronic records storedin association with user records might additionally be divided into subrecords associated with one or more system operators. For example, in afinancial transaction merchant information included in the transactioninformation might designate a specific sub record with which toassociate the transaction record. Such an embodiment might allow forfaster transaction information location during later user recordaccesses. Additionally, such an embodiment would serve closed orselectively shared system organizations by requiring merchantinformation to be matched before allowing access to the user sub recordassociated with that merchant. As users may affiliate their user recordswith other users, so may system operators affiliate their records inselectively shared systems. In such a system, a system operatoridentifier would provide that system operator access to his designatedgroup of affiliated system operators within the system.

In an additional embodiment of the system, users may utilize a personalbiometric device to aid storing transaction information in the system.Such an embodiment is conceived for transactions in which a merchantdoes not have a biometric device but has a device that can communicatewith a user personal device, such as a personal data assistant 144 withBID 146, a pager 140 with BID 142, and/or cellular phone 136 with BID138. In such transactions, transaction information is electronicallycommunicated to the user personal device 144, 140, 142, into which theuser presents his biometric sample via connected/integrated BID 146,142, 136. This information is sent to the system database, where it isstored in association with the user record. Methods of communicatedtransaction information from the transaction terminal to a user personaldevice might include but should not be limited to infrared transmissionand other forms of wireless communication.

The system might also allow users to create electronic transactionrecords after a transaction has taken place by converting conventionaltransaction receipts into electronic form and/or storing that newelectronic form in association with a user biometric. This method mightbe useful to new system users who have kept a backlog of transactionreceipts that they would like entered into the system. Additionally,this method might also be a useful back-up method for the electronicsystem should a system operator device not be functioning properlyduring a transaction. A user converts traditional transaction receiptsto electronic form via a system device equipped for record conversion.As would be appreciated, the method of record conversion depends on theformat of the original transaction receipt. For example, a paper receiptmight be digitally imaged into a system device and/or scanned foroptical character recognition (OCR). Other forms of receipt conversionmight be as simple as a user presenting a smart card whereon thetransaction information is stored and that transaction information iselectronically transferred and/or copied from the card to the systemdatabase and stored in association with the user record. A system devicefor performing receipt conversion might be a kiosk equipped with adigital scanner and a biometric scanner. In the case of a papertransaction receipt conversion, the user would present the papertransaction receipt into the kiosk's digital scanner for scanning and/orinformation retrieval. The user would also present his biometric at thekiosk biometric scanner. The kiosk would retrieve the transactioninformation from the paper transaction receipt and send the transactioninformation and user biometric sample to the system database, where theinformation is stored with the user system record. If the user is notregistered with the system, the database forms a new user record withwhich the user biometric sample and transaction information is stored.Additionally, receipt information a user presents may also include acode which identifies another location where supplemental transaction,operator, or user information is stored. With this code, the system maypull any supplemental transaction information not identified on thematerial a user has presented. For example, a paper transaction receiptmay include a code pointing to where purchaser credit card informationis stored in a merchant database.

In an additional embodiment of creating an electronic record within thesystem, user biometric information is matched at the transactionstation. In such a method, a user enters his SID, which is used tolocate the user's registered biometric sample. The user's registeredbiometric sample is sent to the transaction station, where it iscompared to the user biometric sample entered during the transaction. Ifthe biometric samples match, the transaction proceeds. In such anembodiment, transaction information may be sent to the database with theuser SID, and the bulk of the transaction may bepre-approved/pre-declined based upon system parameters, allowing thetransaction to be completed with acknowledgement of matching biometricsamples. Alternatively, the system may not send transaction informationto the database with the user SID, and may only proceed with processingthe transaction after the user biometric sample has been matched to auser registered sample.

Referring to FIG. 3, a flowchart of a process for an automated refundtransaction is illustrated. At step 302, a system user biometric sampleand a refund transaction request is entered. The refund transactionrequest may include but is not limited to one or more of requesting cashback for one or more returned items/services, requesting credit for oneor more returned items/services, one or more product referencesindicating one or more products to be returned, and system operatorinformation. For the purposes of this application, “cash back” refers toa refund transaction in which the user requesting the refund seeks afull reimbursement of money spent on the purchased item/service thatthey are requesting to return. Additionally, “credit” refers to credit amerchant typically provides a customer in place of cash back forproducts/services returned that may only be used at that specificmerchant's or his affiliate merchants' stores. Depending on theembodiment of the system, product references may additionally beincluded in refund transaction requests. Such references include but arenot limited to various specific product/service codes, such as universalproduct codes (UPCs), radio frequency identifiers (RFIDs), and infraredidentifiers or various descriptive product/service references, such asproduct descriptors and department codes. The format in which theproduct code is disclosed might determine how the code is entered intothe system. For example, if the code is a universal product code (UPC),which is typically printed on literature/packaging included with theproduct in numerical and bar code form, the code might be scanned andelectronically entered. Likewise, a UPC might be hand keyed into thesystem by a system operator and/or user. Other formats of product codeinformation include radio frequency identifiers (RFIDs), infraredtransmitters, and/or any other form of electronic code identifiers.

At step 304, the user biometric sample and refund transaction requestare sent to a database. In an additional embodiment, the system isconfigured for biometric verification and might request a user alsoenters a SID. In a biometric verification embodiment, the SID may serveas a pointer for locating the user record within the database, mayindicate that the user is affiliated with a group of users, and/or mayalso indicate that the user seeking a refund transaction is not thepurchaser of the item/service being returned but is affiliated with thepurchaser in the system. Such an embodiment allows users to conductreturn transactions for items/services purchased by affiliated users,such as gifts received from affiliated users or items purchased byaffiliated business associates. In such an embodiment, all user recordsassociated with the group SID entered are scanned for information thatmight pertain to return transaction request information.

At step 306, a user record is located at the database. At step 308, usertransaction information associated with the user record is located.Depending on the product/service information provided in the refundtransaction request, transaction information may be located in a numberof ways. For example, if a product UPC was entered in the refundtransaction request, product UPCs of the items purchased by the user arescanned until a match for the presented UPC is found. Alternatively, ifmore generic purchase item information is included in the refundtransaction request, the system locates all items purchased relating tothat information. This information is then presented to the systemoperator and/or the user so that the desired return information may beselected. At step 310, the refund transaction is initiated.

In an additional embodiment, one or more refund transaction requestparameters must be met before the refund is initiated. For example, thesystem might comprise a system operator supervising the transaction toevaluate the condition of a returned item to ensure that the item wasnot used/abused and then presented for return. The system might alsorequest that the system operator record the condition of the item viahand-keyed description, digital imaging, or a similar method ofcapturing item condition. In yet an additional embodiment, the userrecord pertaining to the returned item is marked returned to indicatethat the user has already received a refund for that item.

In an additional biometric verification embodiment, refund requestinformation, a user biometric sample, and a user SID are entered intothe transaction station. The user SID is sent to a system database, andthe user record and associated registered biometric sample are located.The registered biometric sample is sent to the transaction station,where it is compared to the user biometric sample. In embodiments inwhich group SIDs are implemented, all registered biometric samplesassociated with the group SID are returned to the transaction station.If the user biometric sample matches a registered biometric samplereturned to the transaction station, refund request information is sentto the database, where it is either evaluated and approved or where itis used to retrieve transaction information relating to the refundrequest that is sent back to the transaction station so the appropriatetransaction information may be designated and/or verified. In yet anadditional embodiment, refund request information might be sent to thedatabase upon initial transmission, along with the user/group SID. Insuch an embodiment, the refund request might be pre-approved, pendingbiometric matching, or transaction information stored in associationwith the user record and relative to the refund request might bereturned to the transaction station so the appropriate transactioninformation may be designated and/or verified.

In an alternate embodiment, the system biometric matching parameters maybe relaxed in an effort to reduce the value threshold, meaning lessbiometric information is used for matching therefore more biometricmatches may occur. Typically, reducing the value threshold in turnincreases the number of false positives a biometric matching sessionwill return. By default, if a system can increase its number of falsepositives it in turn decreases its number of false negatives. The valuethreshold is reduced in an effort to create a larger amount of potentialmatches. Such a system would help ensure a more reliable consistency inpulling the matching user record on the first database scan. In asimilar embodiment where a user enters a SID, the user SID may betruncated in an effort to return multiple potential biometric andtransaction matching possibilities.

In an additional embodiment, users who receive a gift they would like toreturn may do so via the system by identifying the gift purchaser byproviding purchaser information, such as a phone number. Thisinformation can then be used to retrieve the transaction record for theitem the presenting user wishes to return. Record of such a returntransaction would then be stored in the purchaser's and the presentinguser's system record.

System operators who conduct biometrically initiated refund transactionsmight also want a method for encouraging customers who are not systemusers but who are seeking a refund to enroll in the system. In order todo so, system operators might implement a method of conductingreceiptless refunds in conjunction with enrollment methods. Areceiptless refund is a refund transaction request in which a customerseeks a refund for a transaction for which they have no transactionrecord to present. Such a user may not be enrolled in the system or maynot have used the system during the specific transaction involved in therefund request. Should the customer not be enrolled in the system, themerchant might require the customer to enroll in the system bypresenting at least a biometric sample. Depending on the embodiment ofthe system, the customer might present additional information such asbut not limited to his name, address, telephone number, driver's licensenumber and state of issue, financial account information, a SID, and anyother identity information typically entered in a receiptless refundtransaction. These types of transactions might provide system operatorswith some security in providing receiptless refunds because they providemerchants with at least biometric information. System operators desiringadditional security might also associate system parameters with suchtransactions. For example, a system operator might only allow a customerto perform two receiptless refunds at that merchant's store over aspecified period of time. Additionally, a system operator might not wishto provide a customer seeking a receiptless refund with a completerefund for the item they are returning and might set a system parameterin which the customer only receives a percentage of the requested refundfor the returned item. Additionally, some system operators might wish toonly extend store credit to users requesting receiptless refunds. Insuch a transaction, the system might additionally be configured torefund a user's money by associating a stored value account with theuser that the user may use via biometric authentication.

Users may additionally access their system records for maintenance anduser services such as refund request pre-approvals. Users may accesstheir records by presenting a biometric sample and/or a SID. Access maybe provided at a number of devices, including user personal devices,such as a personal computer 132, a telephone 128, and a user wirelessdevice 136, 140, 144. Users may access their system records to tracktheir transactions, update their user information, customize their userrecord, and/or request a refund transaction pre-approval. An example ofhow a user might track his transactions would be his provision oftransaction codes to label and organize his electronic transactionrecords within the system according to the purpose of the transaction.For example, if the user is making a business related purchase, he mightmark the transaction with a business code, or if the user is making aleisure related purchase, he might mark the transaction with a leisurecode. Such a system may allow users to sub-divide their transactionsaccording to these user-set transaction codes. Additionally, a user mayrequest a refund transaction pre-approval by accessing his transactionrecords, locating the record(s) pertaining to his desired returntransaction, and marking the record(s) with a request for refund. Oncethe system has pre-approved the refund transaction, the user need onlyreturn to the store or a refund kiosk, where he deposits the item(s) andwhere his refund request is approved. Such a method allows users andsystem operators to save time in completing return transactions.

In an additional embodiment, information transferred between two pointsin the system is encrypted. For purposes of example and withoutlimitation, information may be encrypted at one point and sent across anon-secure connection between the points or not encrypted at a point ofcommunication and sent to the other point of communication across asecure connection. Various methods of encryption and decryption may beused, and the embodiment should not be limited to one type ofencryption. For example, the system may incorporate one or more methodssuch as SSL encryption, methods used by companies such as Verisign, PINencryption typically used in a Point of Sale debit transaction, and/orany other similar method of encryption. As an added level of security,one alternate embodiment encrypts information internal to a terminal andwhich is never transmitted in a communication. This prevents retrievalof sensitive information (e.g., data corresponding to a biometric scan)from a stolen terminal. In an additional embodiment, the systemincorporates one or more anti-tampering methods by which to recognizeauthentic and non-authentic system requests.

It is also an alternate embodiment of the present invention to provideoperators with system user and other operator profile reports in case ofsuspected fraudulent activity within the system. These reports may becustomized to display selected information from a system user's orsystem operator's record.

In an additional embodiment, user system access may be revoked. If forexample the user has displayed negative system behavior, a user's usagemight be revoked by deleting the user's system record from the database,marking a user's system record as in bad standing with one or moresystem operators, or marking the user's record as in bad standing withthe network and/or one or more system operators and designating a periodof time for which the record will remain bad. This period of time mightbe relative to an action that must be performed by the user with therecord marked in bad standing.

A system and method for conducting electronic refund transactions in abiometric identification/verification system has been illustrated. Itwill be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the system andmethod of the present invention can be used to perform more convenientand more secure refund transactions than those offered by traditionalmethods of refund transactions. It will thus be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art that other variations of the present invention willbe possible without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art by a review of the preceding detaileddescription. Although a number of salient features of the presentinvention have been described above the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways thatwould be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading thedisclosed invention, and therefore the above description should not beconsidered to be exclusive of these other embodiments. Also, it is to beunderstood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are forthe purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

1. A method for completing a receiptless refund transaction by accessingpurchase transaction information via a user record stored at a database,the method comprising: receiving, from a user, a refund pre-approvalrequest, said request including first biometric data from said user andinformation pertaining to a product the user desires to return; locatinga user record associated with said first biometric data; locating, atsaid user record, previously stored purchase transaction informationassociated with said product information; determining whether or notsaid product is eligible for return; if said product is determinedeligible for return, pre-approving said request; receiving, via a refundstation, user second biometric data, said product information and saidproduct presented for return, wherein at least said user secondbiometric data is used to located a user record; determining thecondition of said product; if said product condition meets returnparameters, crediting a monetary amount associated with said productreturn to a financial account associated with said user record; andstoring said product return transaction information in said user record.2. The method of claim 1, wherein said user refund request is receivedvia one or more of the Internet or telephone.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein said refund station is automated.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein said user biometric data is accompanied by a user systemidentifier.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein product eligibility forreturn is determined by one or more of said product's inclusion in auser transaction history and the date of said purchase transaction. 6.The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the user if saidproduct does not meet return parameters.
 7. The method of claim 1,further comprising disqualifying the return if said product if it doesnot meet return parameters.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein saidreturn parameters are configured by one or more of a system operator andthe system.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said user refund requestincludes a plurality of products from one or more of a single purchasetransaction or a plurality of purchase transactions.
 10. A method for auser to complete a refund pre-approval transaction by accessing a userrecord stored at a database, the method comprising: receiving a requestto complete a refund pre-approval transaction, said request at leastincluding first biometric data; retrieving said pre-approved refundtransaction request from a user record associated with second biometricdata if said first biometric data matches said second biometric data;receiving, from the user, an item associated with said refundpre-approval transaction; determining whether said item meets returnparameters; and if said item meets return parameters, completing saidrefund pre-approval transaction by providing the user a value associatedwith said return.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said item is oneor more of a product and a service agreement.
 12. The method of claim10, wherein said value is provided by crediting one or more financialaccounts associated with said user record.
 13. The method of claim 12,further comprising prompting the user to indicate said one or morefinancial accounts from a plurality of financial accounts.
 14. Themethod of claim 10, wherein said value is one or more of cash, creditand a stored value.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the value ofsaid return is not equal to its purchase value.
 16. The method of claim10, wherein said value is provided by crediting one or more financialaccounts associated with said purchase transaction.
 17. The method ofclaim 10, wherein said refund pre-approval completion occurs at anautomated refund station.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprisinginputting, at said automated refund station, one or more identifiersassociated with said one or more products and services presented forreturn.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein said identifiers include oneor more of a universal product code and a radio frequency identificationcode.
 20. The method of claim 10, wherein the request further comprisesa user system identifier.